MoonCup Menstrual Cup | Pros and Cons

MoonCup Pros and Cons

The Mooncup Menstrual Cup has an extremely high 4.5/5 star rating on Amazon UK and most people who’ve tried it, seem to love it. Other period cups usually have a rating of around 4.0/5, so the Moon cup is clearly a cut above them.

Here at Reusable Menstrual Cups, the MoonCup always finds its way onto our top 5 lists. It’s made in the Western world (we love menstrual cups from Europe, or North America) from top-quality medical grade silicone by a reputable company.

The design works well for most people and it’s often the first, and last cup that people end up using. It really is that good!

But, is the Moon Cup the right period cup for you? Keep on reading to find out! Or, head on over to Amazon to check out the user reviews and product description for yourself:

MoonCup: Based in the UK

The Moon Cup is a menstrual cup from an English company that is based in Brighton. The product is also fully manufactured in the UK.

It’s made from the highest quality medical grade, undied silicone and it’s approved for sale in the USA by the FDA. This is quite unusual and there are very few menstrual cups on this exclusive FDA list.

Similar to the Diva Cup

In terms of design and sizing, the MoonCup is very similar to the more popularDiva Cup. Honestly, the major difference between the two seems to be the fact that the MoonCup is based in the UK, while the Diva Cup is out of Canada.

The good news is that you really couldn’t go wrong with either of these choices, so shop freely!

Diva Cup: Slightly Stiffer Materials

In terms of design, there is a slight difference in that the Diva Cup is a bit stiffer than the Moon Cup. There are some advantages, and disadvantages to this. A stiff cup will pop open very easily wheninserted.

However, a stiff cup can feel a bit uncomfortable because it presses very strongly against the vaginal canal walls. You may also experience cramping and discomfort if this is the case.

A softer cup may require a bit of work to insert it correctly, but it may feel more comfortable. The choice really is yours!

The difference is slight, and both of these cups are considered to be some of the firmer cups on the market today. If you find that the stiffer cups are uncomfortable, you many want to consider using one of the softer menstrual cups.

On Amazon, people are saying things like:

“I’ve been using the Moon Cup for 10 years now and have never looked back. Everyone should be using one of these things! I can’t believe I wasted so many not knowing about these things.”

“Good riddance to pads and tampons. I’ve never using those things again! The MoonCup in particular is very high quality compared to some of the other cups that I’ve tried. It’s easy to insert and remove and I’ve never had a problem with leaking, except for the first couple cycles. It took me a little bit to get the hang of it.”

“It was very comfortable and easy to use even on the first day. The instruction package that comes with it are very detailed and answer all the common questions you might have. The price is very reasonable, considering that you’re getting a product that replaces pads and tampons for years. “

Both size A + B have a stem length of 21 mm, which can be trimmed to fit. In theory, this could be considered one of the shorter menstrual cups at around 50 mm in length, if you trim the stem completely.

However, if you have a low cervix, instead of trimming the stem on one of the longer ones like the MoonCup, you could consider a low cervix menstrual cup. While it’s not a big deal to trim the stem on a menstrual cup, we find that modifying a menstrual cup can cause it to not last as long as if you otherwise didn’t do this.

In particular, we recommend the FemmyCycle Low Cervix if you find that the stem on regular menstrual cups are consistently sticking out of your vaginal canal. It’s one of the shortest menstrual cups on the market today, at around 50 mm in length. It has kind of an unusual shape that just seems to work for many people with a low cervix.

MoonCup Cups Pros:

1. The company is based in England and the cup is manufactured in the UK to the highest quality standards. Shop local to support your economy and also be assured of an extremely high quality product. Related: European Made Menstrual Cups.

2. It’s safe and effective and made from the highest quality silicone. For something that’s inside your body, don’t you want the highest quality you can get? Related: Are Cheap Menstrual Cups Worth it?

3. Unlike the Diva Cup which recommends changing out your cup every couple of years, Moon Cup says that their product can last for years and years and years. Related: How Often to Change your Menstrual Cup.

4. If you are from the UK and you order directly from the MoonCup website, it’s less than 20 pounds and shipping is free. Shipping is also free/cheap to many other countries around the world. Buying direct from the company? We love it!

5. It’s a nice stiffness—it’s soft enough that it feels comfortable once inside of you, but it’s stiff enough that inserting it is reasonably easy. It seems to pop open once inserted with minimal fuss.

6. Leaking doesn’t seem to be a major issue with the MoonCup.

7. The MoonCup is one of the oldest, most established menstrual cups on the market today. Cheap menstrual cups come and go, but this one has been around for decades.

8. It’s an eco-friendly product that will end up saving you a ton of money over the course of a lifetime.

MoonCup Cons:

1.The stem can be quite long for some, but it’s also easily trimmed. MoonCup’s website mentions doing this if necessary.

2. It’s sometimes difficult to find outside of the UK, but you can get it on Amazon US here.

3. Some people reported awkward sizing-the small leaks and the big one is uncomfortable. Something like the Meluna Cupwith 8 different size/length combinations can work better for some women.

Cleaning and Storage of the MoonCup

The company says that the MoonCup is built well and designed to last for years, if you take care of it properly. Here are a few tips for how to keep your MoonCup is tip-top shape:

Wash your hands before and after handling your MoonCup. This is a basic hygiene tip-you don’t wash to introduce all sorts of germs into your vaginal canal.

During your period, wash the Moon Cup thoroughly with soap and water when you take it out. Be sure to wash off any soap residue well.

You can also wash it with something like the DivaWash. Although it’s a bit expensive, you only have to use the tiniest amount because it lathers up so well. It does smell nice, but it’s not necessary and plain soap works well too.

When your cycle is done, boil it in a pot of water for 5-7 minutes. Make sure to not let the pot boil dry! Or, use a sterilizing solution (what you would use for something like a baby bottle).

The most important thing is to NOT store your MoonCup in an airtight container. Store it in the cloth bag that comes with it, or wrap it loosely in a piece of toilet paper and put it in a drawer.

When traveling in underdeveloped countries, be sure to clean your Moon Cup with drinking water.

Cleaning your cup in the microwave or dishwasher is not recommended.

For more details about cleaning and storage of your Moon Cup, check out:

Sex with a MoonCup?

A common question that people have is whether or not they can have sex with a MoonCup. Similar to all other menstrual cups, the answer is, it depends on what kind of sex! For anything besides penetrative sex, it’s ideal because there are no strings hanging out as with atampon.

However, for penetrative sex, it will be very uncomfortable for both parties involved. A menstrual cup is quite big and there simply isn’t enough room in there.

If you’re looking to have sex on your period, the non-messy way, we suggest disposable Soft Cupsinstead. They’re flat, and sit right up under the cervix, unlike the MoonCup which is designed to sit quite low in the vaginal canal.

You can get SoftCups on Amazon here:

Instead Soft Cup Review

Is the MoonCup Safe?

A great question that should be asked is whether or not menstrual cups, including the MoonCup are safe to use. They will be inside your body for up to a week each month, so it’s an important question.

Overall, the top-quality menstrual cups (including the Moon Cup) are perfectly safe to use. They are actually safer than tampons for a couple of reasons.

The reason you might want to make the switch from tampons to a MoonCup is that tampons contain chemicals and pesticides. Although there are only trace amounts, this exposure is cumulative and can add up over time to cause harm.

Clearly, menstrual cups are a much safer alternative than tampons.

Moon Cup and Toxic Shock Syndrome

An excellent question that people have is whether or not they can get Toxic Shock Syndrome (TSS) from using a MoonCup. And, is the risk of TSS higher with a menstrual cup, or tampon. Let’s take a look at the facts.

To date, there has only been one case of Toxic Shock Syndrome from menstrual cup usage. It happened with the Diva Cup, and resulted from the person cutting themselves when inserting the cup at the beginning of their period.

Compare this to tampons. There are thousands of reported cases each year from tampon usage.

However, it must be factored in that many, many more people use tampons than menstrual cups. Overall, your risk of TSS from tampon usage is very low, especially if you take precautions such as changing your tampon often enough, and using as low as absorbency as possible.

What is clear is that the risk of TSS from using a menstrual cup is extremely low, and it is a safer option than tampons.

Can I use the MoonCup with an IUD?

It is possible to use an IUDwith a MoonCup (or other brand of menstrual cup). However, there are some additional precautions that must be taken, in order that your IUD won’t become dislodged. We also suggest consulting with your doctor about this matter before using a menstrual cup with an IUD.

Here are some tips for the MoonCup company about using their product along with an IUD:

There should be space between the MoonCup and your cervix. If you have a low cervix, the MoonCup is probably not the cup for you. Instead, consider one of these low-cervix menstrual cups instead.

The MoonCup (and all other menstrual cups except the SoftCup) are designed to sit low in the vaginal canal. They should be as low as possible, as long as the stem doesn’t stick out because this will cause some serious discomfort.

Always release the seal on the MoonCup before removing it. You can do this by squeezing in the sides of the cup. If you can’t reach the base of the cup, pull down gently on the stem until you can grasp the base. DO NOT pull the cup out entirely using the stem. This will create some serious suction which can dislodge your IUD.

After each period, check your IUD strings. Make sure you can feel them, and that they haven’t moved. If they have, go to your doctor.

Buy the MoonCup

Does the MoonCup sound like the one for you? It really is an excellent menstrual cup, and we especially love that you can buy one direct from the company. Shipping is cheap (or free) and delivery is fast.

Check out MoonCup’s website here:

Can I Pee with a MoonCup In?

A question that many people have is whether or not they can pee with a MoonCup in. The short answer is: Yes, you can pee while wearing a menstrual cup.

Let’s talk anatomy for a minute. There are three holes down there: a urethra, anus, and vagina. You insert the MoonCup into your vagina, while pee comes out of the urethra, and poop out of the anus. In theory, wearing a menstrual cup shouldn’t interfere with either of these bodily functions.

However, the urethra and vagina are in a similar are. Because menstrual cups are quite big, they can push against your urethra a little bit. This can result in it taking a loooooong time to pee when wearing a cup. Or, it can even cause discomfort, or cramp like feelings.

If this is the case for you, switch to a softer menstrual cup. They don’t press so strongly against your vaginal canal walls, and you’ll likely find it more comfortable.

More MoonCup Reviews

MoonCup vs Diva Cup

The Diva Cupand the Moon Cup are the two most popular menstrual cups in the world. In terms of design, materials, marketing and price, they are extremely similar. Which one is right for you?

MoonCups aren’t too wide and they have grips on them as well as a longer them so removal will be easier for beginners. Some people find that the stem on the Diva Cup is too slippery because of the lack of distinct rings on them. The MoonCup is definitely a bit better in this regard.

Both the MoonCup and the Diva Cup are manufactured from similar materials in Western countries (MoonCup: Uk, Diva Cup: Canada), so quality isn’t an issue here.

Either one is a great choice though so you’ll just have to see what works for your body.

For more information about the Diva Cup vs. the MoonCup, check out this detailed post:

MoonCup and Diva Cup: So Similar

A word of caution however. If you find either the MoonCup or the Diva Cup uncomfortable, or it leaks for whatever reason, don’t think that buying the other one will solve your problems. It likely won’t!

These two cups are extremely similar and if one doesn’t work for you, the other one probably won’t as well. You’d be better off checking out our list of the Top 5 Menstrual Cups and choose a different one.

Isn’t the MoonCup Kind of Expensive?

If you search for “menstrual cup” on Amazon, you’ll notice that there are pages and pages of results. There are almost 100 menstrual cups, and each cup has different colours, sizes, and styles.

You may notice that the MoonCup is one of the more expensive sanitary cups. There are some cheap menstrual cups from China that cost around $5-10. If you’re all about the frugal living, you may wonder if a cheap menstrual cups is a good buy.

The answer is no! We never recommend getting one of these very cheap menstrual cups. There are a whole lot of problems with them, but the biggest one is the materials used in them. In most cases, it’s low-quality silicone that isn’t medical grade.

The cheap cups are often very flimsy and can leak like crazy. This is because they never will really fully open, and seal inside of you. The other problem is that the material degrades very quickly, and you’ll probably end up buying a top-quality menstrual cup in a short matter of time.

Just skip over this step and get a good menstrual cup from the start. The MoonCup makes an excellent choice, and is indeed worth the higher price.